Game-table.



No. 688,027. Patented Dec. 3, I901. J. P. MUYER.

GAME TABLE.

(Application filed Feb. 25. 1901.:

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

wiimwoep aff rm/"e133 THE norms warns co. PNOYOJJYHQ.'WASHINGTON, 12.0v

Patented Dec. 3, 190i. J. P. MUYER.

GAME. TABLE.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

6 Howe/13 s m m 3 m m@ P n w UNITED STATES.

PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN P. MOYER, OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANTA,

G A M E -TA B L E SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No.688,027, dated December 3, 1901.

Application filed February 25, 1901. Serial No. 48,694. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. MOYER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Franklin, in the county of Venango and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGame-Ta bles, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsinbilliard, pool,or bagatelle tables, and has for its principal object toproduce a table extremely simple in construction, so arranged as topermit the playing of a novel form of game, and so constructed as to bequickly and easily knocked down for shipment and readily set up again.

The invention further aims to construct a table that will be extremelycheap to manufacture, dispensing with the stone or othermineral-substance'slab ordinarily employed, together with other novelfeatures in construction, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Briefly described, the invention comprises, in connection with the bodyof the table, a table-bed composed of narrow strips set on edge andconnected together, this bed being provided at each end with anaperture, and also provided with apertures intermediate the ends, theselatter apertures being in line with those at the ends of the bed. Therails and cushions are also provided at the corners of the table andalso centrally of the sides of the table with recesses in lieu of thepockets ordinarily employed in a pool-table of the usual construction,and are further provided centrally of the ends with like recesses. Overeach one of these recesses is arranged an arch, upon which is hung toswing thereon a numbered disk or indicator, and over the two holes inthe table-bed, intermediate the ends of the latter, are arranged archesor obstructions likewise carrying a swinging disk or indicator having anindicating-number. The

holes through the table-bed lead to a series of runways, which areinclined, and all discharge into a central inclined runway leading to abox or drawer at one end of the table, from which the balls may beremoved by pulling out the drawer or box. These runways are eachpreferably covered with felt or like soft material, so as to preventinjury to the balls as the latter fall through the openings in thetable-bed into the runways and are conducted by the latter to the box ordrawer at the end of the table.

Various other novel features of construction enter into the inventionand will be here- .inafter more specifically described and thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claim, and in describing theinvention in detail reference will be had to the accompany ing drawings,forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals ofreference will be employed to designate like parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a table constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof with the legs partlybroken away. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the table with thetable-bed, rails, and cus11- ions removed. Fig. 4 is a verticalsectional view of one of the supporting-legs and a part of thetable-body, showing how the legs are secured rigidly to the table.

In the practice of my invention I construct the main body of the table,consisting of the side and end pieces,(designated 1,) in the usualmanner, providing the same at the ends, howi ever, with a cross-strip 2to form a bearing for the upper ends of the supporting-legs 3. Theselatter are bored throughout their length to receive the securing-rods 4,the said rods or bolts extending through the legs and having the headsthereof countersunk in the lower ends of the legs. The upper ends ofthese rods or bolts are threaded to receive the nuts 5, which are placedon the rods or bolts after the latter have been passed throughtriangular brace-strips 6, secured in the corners of the table-body toassist in strengthening the latter.

Arranged within the body portion of the table is a main. passage orrunway '7, which extends from one end of the table to a point near theopposite end and discharges into a side thereof, is a runway 10.

drawer or box arranged in the end of the table, as at 8. This mainpassage or runway is inclined toward the drawer or box, and leading intothe same from each corner of the table is a runway 9, and likewiseleading into the same near the center of its length, at each The runways9 10 may be constructed of a width slightly greater than the diameter ofthe balls employed for playing, though the main runway is preferablyconstructed of a width considerably greater than the side runways toprovide sufiicient room for the balls fed into this main runway from theside runways. These runways'are all preferably provided on the bottomwith a covering of felt 10 or like soft material, so that the balls willnot be damaged as they fall into the runways and are conducted therebyto the drawer or box at the end of the table. A transverse crossstrip 11may be provided to assist in supporting the main runway 7, and the twoside runways 10 may be supported at their higher ends by cleats 12,attached to the inner face of the body portion of the table.

Th'e table-bed or bed-plate 14 is constructed of a series of strips seton edge and suitably fastened securely together, making a bed ofsufficient weight for the purpose, but of considerably less weight thanthe slate or other mineral-substance beds employed on ordinary pool andbilliard tables. This table-bed or bed-plate let is bound within therails 15, which are preferably secured thereto, the cushions 16 restingupon the upper face of the bed around the edges of the latter. The rails15 fit down over the frame or body of the table for a slight distance,and when the table is to be taken apart the lifting of the rails alsoremoves the bed from'its position upon the top of the frame or body ofthe table, and access may then be readily had to the nuts which hold thelegs to the table frame rails.

or body. The rails are preferably fastened to the table-bed in such amanner that when it is desired to renew the covering 17 of the table bedthe rails and cushions may be lifted off the table-bed, and this mayreadily be provided for by employing such fastening means as screws forsecuring the bed to the The strips of which the bed is composed may beglued together and further held by strips 18, secured to the underneathface of the bed, as shown.

In lieu of the suspended basket-form pockets ordinarily employed inpool-tables, I provide holes through the bed that lead to the runways,and out the cushions and recess the rails so that the balls will rollinto the recesses, and drop into the holes, down the runways into thedrawer or box at one end of the table. For this purpose, a hole 19 isprovided near each corner of the bed-plate which conduct the balls intothe runways 9. Ahole 20 is provided through the bed-plate, near each endthereof, one of which conducts the balls into the runway 7 at thehighest end thereof and the other of which conducts the balls directlyinto the drawer or box 8. The holes 21 at the sides of the table conductthe balls into the runways 10, and holes 22 intermediate the ends of thetable and in line with the holes 20 conduct the balls into the mainrunway 7. The rails are cut away or recessed, as at 23, as are also thecushions, at each opening or aperture through the table-bed, so as topermit the balls to fall through the various apertures into the runwaysand be conducted to the box or drawer. Secured in the cushions over eachof the various apertures or openings through the table-bed is an arch24, upon which is swung an indicator or disk 25. These disks orindicators at each corner of the table are num-. bered 10. Those at theends of the table are numbered 50, the two at the sides 25. Over theapertures or holes 22 in the tablebed are placed crossed arches 26,fromwhich are suspended disks or indicators similar to those at the corner,side, and end pockets, though numbered 100. The upright arms orstandards of these arches 26 are preferably covered with rubber or likematerial 27 to protect the ball from injury in case it should strike oneof these uprights or posts instead of passing between the same and downthrough the aperture to the main runway.

I may provide additional supports for the table-bed, such as thestandards 28, attached to the side walls of the main runway, and at theends of the table a rest or support 29, held upon pieces attached to theend of the table frame or body. Asuitable ornament 30 may be placed uponthe cross-arches, as shown.

As the games played may be varied by different rules I do not claim anyparticular form of game, as it will be readily observed that sets ofrules for playing might be formulated by the players or by the owner ofthe tables. It will be observed, however, that a ball entering any ofthe recesses in the cushions and rails will be conducted by therespective runway registering therewith to the main runway and thence tothe drawer or box at the end of the table, or when dropping througheither of the openings 22 in the table-bed will fall directlyinto themain runway and be conducted to the drawer or box. The simplicity of construction enables me to knock down the tablein much less time thanrequired for an. ordinary pool-table and also materially cheapens thecost of such devices.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character described, a removable frame, a bed-plateconstructed of a series of "strips suitably fastened together, securedin said frame, the said bed-plate being provided with a series ofopenings, runthereon, the other end being threaded and 10 adapted tohave a nut secured thereon.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN P. MOYER.

WVitnesses:

FRANK L. RIDDLE, H. W. RODGERS.

